Waves LoAir User manual

Waves
LoAir
User Guide

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction................................................................... 3
1.1 Welcome...............................................................................................................3
1.2 Product Overview................................................................................................3
1.3 Concepts and Terminology ...............................................................................4
1.4 Components.........................................................................................................5
1.5 Block Diagram.....................................................................................................6
Chapter 2 – Quick Start Guide ........................................................... 7
Chapter 3 – Interface and Controls ................................................... 9
3.1 Interface...............................................................................................................9
3.2 Controls ..............................................................................................................10
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 2 -
3.3 WaveSystem Toolbar........................................................................................16

Chapter 1 – Introduction
1.1 Welcome
Thank you for choosing Waves! In order to get the most out of your new
Waves plugin, please take a moment to read this user guide.
To install software and manage your licenses, you need to have a free Waves
account. Sign up at www.waves.com. With a Waves account you can keep
track of your products, renew your Waves Update Plan, participate in bonus
programs, and keep up to date with important information.
We suggest that you become familiar with the Waves Support pages:
www.waves.com/support. There are technical articles about installation,
troubleshooting, specifications, and more. Plus, you’ll find company contact
information and Waves Support news.
1.2 Product Overview
LoAir is a plug-in which can be used to create LFE content from mono,
stereo, and 5.0 source material, as well as to enhance and enrich the existing
LFE content of 5.1 sources. LoAir generates subharmonic content by lowering
and filtering designated audio content by one octave.
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 3 -

1.3 Concepts and Terminology
LoAir uses the following unique terms:
RANGE determines the frequency range used to create LFE content.
LoAIR controls the level of the generated (lowered octave) signal.
LO controls the level of the filtered signal.
DIRECT controls the level of the direct unprocessed signal.
LFE OUTPUT controls the LFE level output.
ALIGN delays the direct signal to synchronize it with the generated
(lowered octave) signal.
Channel Order Standards
The channels used in Surround sound can be displayed in several arrays. The
following are the most common Surround standards:
5.0 Film L, C, R, Ls, Rs
5.1 Film L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE
5.0 SMPTE/AES/ITU L, R, C, Ls, Rs
5.1 SMPTE/AES/ITU L, R, C, LFE, Ls, Rs
5.0 DTS L, R, Ls, Rs, C
5.1 DTS L, R, Ls, Rs, C, LFE
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 4 -

1.4 Components
WaveShell technology enables us to split Waves processors into smaller plug-
ins, which we call components. Having a choice of components for a
particular processor gives you the flexibility to choose the configuration best
suited to your material.
Waves LoAir includes four components:
•LoAir 1.0 component (Mono-to-Mono)
•LoAir 2.0 component (Stereo-to-Stereo)
•LoAir 5.0>5.1 component (5.0-to-5.1)
•LoAir 5.1>5.1 component (5.1-to-5.1)
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 5 -

1.5 Block Diagram
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 6 -

Chapter 2 – Quick Start Guide
Mono & Stereo Sources
Choose your input source and desired output types; your input as well as
your output can be LFE only or Full Range.
For LFE only input sources, use LoAir to enhance its sound; for Full Range
input sources, output may be either LFE only or Full Range.
Set the Range control to determine the frequencies used to create or
enhance the LFE output.
Adjust Lo and LoAir controls to determine the amount and character of the
LFE content.
5.0 > 5.1
To create an LFE track from 5.0 sources:
Use the Feed section (L/R, C, and Ls/Rs faders) to set the amount of
channel content fed to the pitch engine.
Set the Range control to determine the frequencies used to create the LFE
output.
Adjust Lo and LoAir controls to determine the amount and character of the
LFE content.
5.1
To enhance the existing LFE channel content of 5.1 sources:
Use the Feed section (L/R, C, Ls/Rs, and LFE faders) to set the amount of
channel content fed to the pitch engine.
Set the Range control to determine the frequencies used to enhance the
LFE output.
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 7 -

Adjust Lo and LoAir controls to determine the amount and character of the
LFE content.
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 8 -

Chapter 3 – Interface and Controls
3.1 Interface
(5.1 Component)
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 9 -

3.2 Controls
RANGE controls the cutoff frequency of the low pass filter, determining the
frequency range used to create the LFE content.
Range: 20Hz to 120Hz, in 1Hz steps
Default: 80Hz
LoAIR controls the level of the generated (lowered octave) signal. Settings
between 0 and 30dB cause signal saturation which may be used as a creative
effect. This will not clip the digital output.
Range: -inf to 30, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 3
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 10 -

LO controls the level of the filtered signal. Settings between 0 and 30dB
cause signal saturation which may be used as a creative effect, and will not
clip the digital output.
Range: -inf to 30, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 3
DIRECT controls the level of the direct unprocessed signal. (Mono and
Stereo components only)
Range: -inf to 0 dB, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 0
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 11 -

OUTPUT controls the overall output level.
(Mono & Stereo Components only)
Range: -60 to 0 dB, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 0
LFE OUTPUT controls the LFE level output.
(5.0 & 5.1 Components only)
Range: -60 to 0 dB, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 0
TRIM allows fine-tune of the output level by up to ± 12 dB.
Alignment: -12dB to +12dB
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 12 -

CLIP LED indicates when clipping occurs.
Please note: On Surround components, the Clip LED indicate the LFE channel
only.
OUTPUT METER displays the LFE output levels.
Range: -50 to 0 dB
ALIGN delays the direct signal to synchronize it with the generated signal.
This control is inactive when the Direct Signal Filter is engaged, as there is
no latency.
Range: On, Off
Default: Off
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 13 -

FEED SECTION (5.0 & 5.1 Components only)
L/R controls the amount of Left & Right channels content fed to the pitch
engine.
Range: -inf to 0 dB (-inf = no feed, 0dB = unity feed)
Default: -6 dB
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 14 -

Ccontrols the amount of Center channel content fed to the pitch engine.
Range: -inf to 0 dB (-inf = no feed, 0dB = unity feed)
Default: -3 dB
Ls/Rs controls the amount of Left Surround & Right Surround channels
content fed to the pitch engine.
Range: -inf to 0 dB (-inf = no feed, 0 dB = unity feed)
Default: -9 dB
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 15 -

LFE (5.1 only)
LFE controls the amount of LFE channel content fed to the pitch engine.
Range: -inf to 0 dBFS, in 0.1 dB steps
Default: 0 dB
Waves LoAir User Guide
- 16 -
3.3WaveSystem Toolbar
Use the bar at the top of the plugin to save and load presets, compare
settings, undo and redo steps, and resize the plugin. To learn more, click
the icon at the upper-right corner of the window and open the
WaveSystem Guide.